<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>dreaming of you makes my heart feel this way by TellNearaToWrite</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26763040">dreaming of you makes my heart feel this way</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TellNearaToWrite/pseuds/TellNearaToWrite'>TellNearaToWrite</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/M, Fluff, Found Family, Hauntober 2020, Humor, Kid Uzumaki Naruto, M/M, Multi, Ninken | Ninja Dogs, Ninneko | Ninja Cats, Not Beta Read, Obito has a potty mouth, Slice of Life, Summons, Tenzo is a troll, Tiny Angst, implied and non-explicit sex scene, quick 15 minute drabbles, tbfh not even proof read, will tag as I go</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:47:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,368</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26763040</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TellNearaToWrite/pseuds/TellNearaToWrite</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Quick drabbles for Hauntober prompts, featuring found family/poly vibes. Super super fluffy stuff here!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hatake Kakashi/Nohara Rin/Uchiha Obito/Yamato | Tenzou</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Pumpkin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Gonna see how this goes~ Trying to do 15 minutes every day. There is (probably) not a big plot, and everything can be read independently. Mind the tags as we go, but this should stay light and family friendly throughout!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Are you fucking kidding—God fucking damnit what the fuck is—”</p><p>If the shouted cursing didn’t wake her up, the sounds of a person-sized object rattling down the stairs sure did. Kakashi was already on his feet, a kunai in hand glinting hazy moonlight through the open window. Rin saw him shake his head in a whisper of silver. “It’s just Obito,” he muttered. The kunai disappeared under the bed and Kakashi leaned over her, hand straying across her shoulder. “Go back to sleep.”</p><p>Kakashi slipped out of their bedroom on silent feet. A few long moments later and she heard the door open outside. “What are you doing?”</p><p>“Who the <em> fuck </em> put traps on our fucking front stairs?” Obito’s voice was still not quite pitched for after midnight speech. Their neighbors would probably be giving them the stink eye for the next few days.</p><p>“They aren’t <em> traps</em>. Check your <em> eyes</em>. You’re a <em> ninja</em>.” Kakashi’s voice was quietly metered and thoroughly irritated. </p><p>“What the fuck—”</p><p>“They’re pumpkins.” Rin couldn’t help but sigh into the long drawn out silence, turning onto her side and burying her nose into her pillow.</p><p>“Why?” Obito asked, tone finally tamed.</p><p>“They’re festive, I’m told.”</p><p>“<em>Festive</em>.” Disdain dripped from Obito’s voice, and then suddenly—”Wait, are they Rin’s?” Kakashi’s answer must have been nonverbal, because Obito continued. “Ugh, fine. They can stay. But only because they’re hers.”</p><p>It was just a small reminder, but there all the same. None of her boys had any family traditions, no matter how much she and Minato had tried to include them in years past. Traditions started somewhere, though, and even if they were going to be small, she was going to build them with this family of hers.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Leaves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Surprisingly, none of the pumpkins were damaged from their quick little jaunt down the stairs the night before. Obito helped her collect them first thing in the morning. His lips were pressed together tightly, obviously expecting a scolding that she wasn’t going to give.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want to carve on them?” she asked, sitting on the top step and beckoning for him to sit beside her. Rin settled the smaller of the four pumpkins in her lap, fingers tracing the ridges in its orange flesh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Carve them?” Obito asked, voice gruff. He was definitely not a morning person, but was better than Kakashi, who had still not gotten out of bed. “Why would we do that?” He sat down and she promptly tucked herself into the warmth of his side, letting him drape an arm around her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s what you do with pumpkins, Obito. It’s a thing you do in the fall.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned away, dark eyebrows knitting together in consternation as he surveyed the morning mist lingering in the grass. “You know none of us are good at this stuff.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rin knew he meant that none of them knew how to behave like a family, like human beings first and ninjas second. She feigned ignorance. “At carving pumpkins? How would you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Obito snorted and his breath misted in the chilly air. “Are you making it a competition?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If that’s what it needs to be, sure. It’ll be our first annual pumpkin carving competition.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Obito shook his head and leaned closer to kiss her temple. “We all know who’s going to win, anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded sagely. “Tenzo.” Obito reluctantly nodded his agreement. Rin lifted the little pumpkin up and tucked it back into its cluster. “I think I’m cold now. Should we go wake up Kakashi?” There was a borderline malicious glint in Obito’s eyes as he popped up, brushing stray leaves from his pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That sounds like a </span>
  <em>
    <span>wonderful</span>
  </em>
  <span> idea.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yes. They just attacked Kakashi with their cold fingers and toes. That's what he gets for not getting up with everyone.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Tea</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Rin woke to the feeling of their creaky old couch dipping under someone's weight. Obito was still reading beside her. She had dozed off on his shoulder at some point. She turned just in time to see Tenzo settle stretched out across the rest of the couch with his head on her leg.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Welcome home," she murmured, threading her fingers through his hair and gently rubbing his scalp. He had been away on a mission for almost a whole week, and she knew he could use any help to relax. It did the trick, a small smile flickering across his lips as his eyes drifted closed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's good to be home."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There you are." Kakashi entered the room from the direction of their bedroom. "I sensed when you got back and then…" He trailed off as he sprawled out on top of Tenzo, tucking his face under his chin. He hummed appreciatively, even as Tenzo lifted his hands in exasperation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Kakashi, I'm making tea. You can't just—"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not anymore," was the muffled interruption.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tenzo's smile was soft as he settled his arms around Kakashi. "I missed you too, you know."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Obito lowered his book dramatically, drawing her attention. "Some of us are trying to read here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kakashi responded with something unintelligible into Tenzo's neck, which set them both off into tired giggles. They were contagious, and Rin felt the grin grow on her lips. She leaned into Obito's shoulder again, peering at his book. "Read to me again?" she requested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Obito sighed heavily. "Fine. Try not to fall asleep this time." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rin made absolutely no promises given the warmth surrounding her, but she could try.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tomorrow's update is probably going to be a little longer and bring in some more characters~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Candy Apples</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ah so, this one got away from me a bit. I had two scenes I really wanted to get to in it, but the build up to them just kept becoming more and more, and suddenly I had a whole mini fic sized piece on my hands, rather than the expected/intended drabble. I'm not sorry? This just means I'll be putting out two pieces in one day at some point to catch up.</p><p>I think some places are a bit rough, and I really just went fuck it on some transitions, but what can you do? I'm happy enough with it~</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Seriously? <em> None </em> of you have ever gone to the festival?” Rin looked from Kakashi to Obito, who was trying not to appear to be rolling his eyes. Tenzo perked up, a hopeful brightness on his face. “Okay, five minutes. Get ready and we’re going,” she said sternly. </p><p>“Rin, it’s just a tourist trap,” Obito began to argue, only to be silenced with a sharp glare. </p><p>Obito wasn’t entirely wrong. The Konoha Harvest Festival was indeed crammed full of attractions for tourists, but that wasn’t the point. It was a celebration of their local culture, something the ninjas of the village rarely ever got to actually experience, and everything was condensed down into one place. A few of the more open training grounds would be converted to alleys of tents crammed full of artisanal crafts, food, and games.</p><p>Rin understood Kakashi and Obito’s stance on it, having dealt with it for years. She could remember going with her parents when she was a very young child, and then later on with Minato and Kushina. Both boys had been suspiciously absent from any activity that veered too close to an approximation of <em> family</em>.</p><p>“You guys owe me.”</p><p>Obito huffed at the same time Kakashi tipped his head in tacit affirmation. “We do. Looks like we’re going.”</p><p>Getting ready to leave was not a huge production, to Rin’s surprise, and they were off within her five minute time limit. She insisted on taking the trip out to the festival at a leisurely pace, even if Obito just wanted to hurry out, blaze through the stalls, and get back home. The crisp air was refreshing against her face, and something about winding through the abnormally crowded streets of Konoha took her back in her memories to a simpler time, when she would bustle toward the inevitable food and games and toys her parents would ply her with. She tried to tune out Kakashi and Obito as they frankly discussed the security issues the festival caused, and all the extra work they had to do to prep the village for it. They didn’t mention the fact that Minato always made sure they were off for the day in a vain hope that they’d actually choose to enjoy themselves for once. In all honesty, the reasoning behind it probably eluded the two of them.</p><p>She reached for Tenzo’s hand, matching her stride to his to stick close by his side. “Have you ever gone to the Harvest Festival?” she asked, though the barely concealed excitement on his face explained his feelings loudly.</p><p>“I’ve always been—on a mission,” he said. She noticed the small hiccup in his speech, but didn’t question it. She was ever curious about his past, but refused to ask until he was ready to talk on his own. Kakashi knew whatever it was and trusted him, and that was good enough for her.</p><hr/><p>“<em>A</em><em>UNT RIN!</em>” The shrill voice cut through the chatter of their surroundings. A flash of blond appeared through the crowd, and then Naruto’s five year old body careened into her legs. “I found you! I found you! Daddy said you were here with—” He broke off into squealing laughter as Obito scooped him up. </p><p>“Where are your parents, squirt? You know not to run off.” Obito could try to be stern with Naruto, but the grin on his face softened his attempt far too much.</p><p>The blond boy flailed and almost toppled out of Obito’s arms, pointing roughly behind them. “Over—<em>MOMMY!</em> <em>I’m here!</em>” On cue, Kushina appeared in a gap in the crowd with Minato close beside her. </p><p>“Lord Hokage!” Tenzo snapped to attention and barely relaxed after Minato’s gentling gesture. His words drew Naruto’s gaze, and his blue eyes went impossibly wide. </p><p>“You still have the scary man,” he stage whispered to Obito, who visibly had a difficult time reining in his laughter. Tenzo had, in exactly one instance, babysat Naruto. Rin didn’t know what had transpired that night, but Naruto had since then called Tenzo <em> the scary man.</em> Kushina said he’d been on the best behavior of his life after that, and that she could simply drop Tenzo’s name in conversation to get the same effect.</p><p>“I’m so glad to see the four of you enjoying yourselves here,” Minato said warmly. He met Rin’s eyes knowingly, a quiet thanks at her obvious hand in the matter.</p><p>“We’re going to get food! Me and mommy are going to eat <em> so much ramen</em>!”</p><p>Kushina laughed, wrapping an arm around Obito’s shoulders. He finally looked to have perked up at the mention of food. “Yes we are! You guys should join us, you know!”</p><p>“We’re going toward the crafters,” Kakashi said tersely, a small frown on his face at how quickly Obito had been swain. </p><p>“We could meet you later, though!” Rin cut in before they could start arguing. “If you want to go eat, Obito, we could all meet up later in the park? They do music in the afternoon still, right?”</p><p>“Sounds good enough to me!” Kushina pulled Obito and Minato along before anyone could get a word in edgewise, disappearing into the crowd to a chorus of Naruto singing <em> ramen ramen</em>! She was just as in tune with how Kakashi and Obito were together as Rin was. They loved each other dearly, but also fought like a sack of wet cats.</p><p>“Of course,” Kakashi grumbled under his breath. </p><p>Tenzo met Rin’s gaze and dramatically rolled his eyes. “Come on.” He started off again and Rin hurried to walk with him, knowing Kakashi would follow.</p><p>They wound through the crowd, passing by vendors hawking local wares. The honey drops and candied apples made way to scarves cut from colorful Aburame clan silks and hand woven blankets. Rin lingered by a tent filled with delicate glass figures and ornaments. The precise little creatures and hand threaded beads were too pretty for words. She told herself they weren’t practical for her lifestyle in the slightest and tried to move on. Kakashi pinned her with a shrewd look.</p><p>“Did you...want to buy something?” he asked, faltering only momentarily.</p><p>"Look at this one, Rin." Tenzo deposited a tapered, palm-sized piece of glass in her hand. "Maybe this could be the centerpiece on your seashell project." It was something she'd abandoned months ago in quiet frustration. In an attempt to get her extensive shell collection under control, she'd tried to make an elaborate chime to hang in their bedroom window. No matter how she rearranged it, though, she couldn't make it actually seem artful and decorative. It remained a lump of jumbled shells on a string.</p><p>She studied the gentle swirls of pale blue and frosty white that climbed the length of the pendant, and <em> yes</em>. "It's perfect." In her mind, she could see waves crashing on a distant beach.</p><p>"Then we'll get it for you," Kakashi said simply.</p><p>"You should also get…" Tenzo went back to a display table and began shuffling through a box. "What about some beads like these to finish the ends of your strings?" Again, they would be perfect, and she said so with a wordless nod. Rin had never thought to ask Tenzo for help on her project and that was obviously a mistake on her part.</p><p>Kakashi joined Tenzo in sifting through the beads, washing the tent in the gentle <em> tick tick </em> of glass pieces striking each other. They offered up a dozen of them for her approval, all of them varying shades of sea blues and frothy white, and then took everything to the vendor to pay.</p><p>Kakashi pressed a small brown gift bag into her hand as they left. She was lost staring at the delicate spill of simple white tissue paper so neatly garnering the bag. "You really didn't need to buy this for me."</p><p>She wanted to say that she could have paid for it herself, but Tenzo caught her free hand and gave it a quick squeeze. "Of course we did. We wanted to." He was off after barely a moment, transfixed by the work of some woodcrafters a few tents down.</p><p>Kakashi’s shoulder jostled hers as they started walking, pulling her gaze to his profile. His eyes were soft as he watched Tenzo brightly inspecting a wood-carved picture frame. A small smile curved his lips below his mask. “I think I could make things like these with my Mokuton,” Tenzo said excitedly, turning to flash them a gleeful grin before disappearing into the tent.</p><p>“Thank you,” Kakashi said with a shake of his head. "We never would have come if you didn't make us."</p><p>Rin joined their arms, pulling them closer to one another and taking Kakashi’s hand in hers. She kissed it gently. “Thank <em> you </em>. If you dug in your heels, I never would have gotten Obito to come along.” Kakashi simply hummed in response and listened as Tenzo began an animated conversation with the man in charge of the wood carvings.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For your consideration:<br/>-I grew up in a place that had a huge fall festival, and found that there were a lot of "townies" that irrationally hated it simply because it drew in so many people. I think Kakashi and Obito would be like that, and they would hide it behind facts from work. They are both active Anbu in this verse, though Minato used it as a way to keep them close. They are part of his personal security detail, and rarely leave the village unless a mission calls for their very specific talents.<br/>-Naruto was being a horrible child the night Tenzo babysat him. At the end of his rope, Tenzo gave him The Eyes and it had the same effect on him as it does in canon. Naruto is horrified that his auntie and uncles are dating such a scary person, though he does actually really like Tenzo, as long as he keeps his expression tame.<br/>-There was one more thing and I can't remember it right now? Will edit or remove this point at a later date.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Moonlight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't think I need warnings on this, but let me know. My shortest update thus far, but please enjoy my soft and artistic(?) t-rated smut.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>For just a moment, Rin's breath caught in her throat. She was merely an observer, lost in time and space as a quiet tableau of shapes flit in and out of the moonlight before her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fingers wound into dark hair and plunged into shadow, replaced by the silent drip of white light across an arched back. The air was heavy, weighing her down, keeping her grounded in the hushed rustle of cloth and the whisper of skin caressing skin. In that moment, she was entirely directionless.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her feet were stuck to the ground, with no way forward and no way back. She was entranced by flashes of the bodies joined before her, watching the trickle of light highlight one feature and then the next; a strong jawline, the ripple of a scar across a brow, the flex of arm muscles drawing someone close.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A hand snaked out of the darkness to her, an open palm warm in the stark chill of the moon. "Please. We need you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her breath came back to her, the ephemeral moment bursting, the pressure banished in an instant. She felt weightless as she stepped forward and took the hand.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was largely inspired by a few lines in the song "Roses &amp; Clover" by ALO.<br/>"<i>Heart beats a nervous tension<br/>Just like in their dreams<br/>But all this feels way too real<br/>To be just what it seems<br/>And the air is getting heavy<br/>And her smile makes him crazed<br/>And he fears that he’ll just disappear<br/>And slide into this haze</i>"</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Fog</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A cough echoed into the silence; Kakashi, whose throat was bothered by the cold. His mask cut the chill only slightly. In the field, he would have choked back the tickle that stretched into his lungs. Here, it only helped Rin identify where he moved in the fog, a deadly shadow that twined across the training grounds with another.</p><p>Rin heard the soft rush of a Katon, the way the air itself shivered and then rushed away to the point of ignition. A fireball flared into being with a roar, slicing through the fog like silk and washing the world in warm golds and orange and <em> heat</em>. She was objectively a safe distance away, simply there to oversee and make sure no one was hurt, but she could feel the incredible intensity even from the edge of the training grounds.</p><p>She leaned ever closer, squinting, hoping to see when it happened. The fog rippled and warped around an odd pinpoint of distortion. The point slid through the fog and settled on the fireball. Slowly, ever so slowly, it trembled. The very flames themselves buckled and twisted in a disorienting rush and then from one instant to the next, disappeared. The silence in the wake of the fireball's disappearance was deafening.</p><p>“Fucking—<em> finally</em>!” Obito’s victorious shout shattered the illusion of stillness. “I knew we could—wait, Kakashi. Hold on.” Rin swallowed her nervousness behind a breath, waiting in place. She’d been instructed many times in the past not to get too close while Obito and Kakashi tried to master their dojutsu. </p><p>Finally, she saw them through the dissipating fingers of mist. Obito held Kakashi up with an arm wrapped around his waist. Obito’s glee had disappeared behind a soft frown of tender worry that he pointedly aimed anywhere but at Kakashi. “I’m fine,” he griped sourly. Obito raised a disbelieving eyebrow.</p><p>“Of course you are.”  </p><p>Rin could read chakra strain in the unsteady way Kakashi walked, and how no matter how he said he was fine, he hadn’t pushed Obito away. When they were close enough, she reached out. She delved into his chakra network with a touch, seeking the instabilities caused by overuse and finding them immediately. “You should talk to Kushina again,” she murmured. “See if she’ll help you train more.” There was no magical way to make your chakra reserves larger, but the Uzumaki had methods to strengthen your network and Kushina was usually happy to share.</p><p>“Now you rest.” There was a severity to Obito’s intonation. “Next time will be faster and you won’t waste as much chakra activating Kamui.”</p><p>Kakashi’s shoulders sagged. “Fine.” He didn’t complain when Rin slipped an arm under his so they could make their way home.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Haunted</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Am I happy with it? No. Am I just moving on? Yes. There is precisely one moment in this one that I adore....</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto hemmed and hawed, flopping onto the bed as Rin finished tidying up. He’d wanted to help her fold clothes and had bemoaned Obito’s disappearance the entire time. The clothes were stacked in a five-year-olds approximation of ready to put away, teetering precariously on the edge of the bed. Rin didn’t comment on how some of her shirts were in the piles designated for the boys and vice versa. They’d sort them out at a later date. </p><p>She opened the closet door to tuck away a few shirts and nearly screamed when hangers shifted on their own. Obito was stashed in the back of the closet, haunted horror in his eyes at the prospect of another hour with Naruto’s high energy. She understood and simply shook her head with scorn, hoping her message got through; he had absolutely no dignity left. </p><p>Rin closed the doors with a snap and definitely heard a muffled sigh of relief. “Naruto,” she started. “Honey, do you want to see if your mom is almost done?”</p><p>“Yes!” He leaped to his feet and took off toward the kitchen in an astonishing show of athleticism, given his tiny stature. Rin followed him, barely keeping herself from snarking at Obito on the way out the door. </p><p>In the kitchen, Naruto was animatedly telling Kushina about how he’d decided to be helpful for auntie Rin when uncle Obito disappeared. The red-haired woman gave her a questioning look. “Obito’s hiding in the c-l-o-s-e-t,” Rin explained with a disproving shake of her head. Kushina’s lips quirked in a smile.</p><p>Kakashi’s eyes popped open gleefully, obviously about to give Obito away. Tenzo cut him off with a drab sigh, not even bothering to glance up from his book. “Don’t, Kakashi,” he warned.</p><p>“You’re supposed to be meditating.” Kushina rapped him hard enough on the forehead to make him flinch. “Best student my foot,” she grumbled. “We’re almost done here, sweetie.” Her fingers brushed against Naruto’s shoulder as she looked toward him. “Kashi needs to practice a bit more before our next lesson. Naruto?”</p><p>The boy's brow was scrunched up in thought, his lips moving silently. Recognition struck his face like a lightning bolt. "<em>CLOSET</em>!" he bellowed suddenly. "I can spell, you know!" He charged out of the room at top speed, nearly knocking over the seat he’d been half seated in. Moments later, Obito appeared in the kitchen with a small pop.</p><p>"Did you just shunshin away from a five-year-old?" Kakashi asked.</p><p>"<em>Did you just </em>—yes." Obito dropped his mocking tone in favor of turning to hurry out of the room. He flailed in place, nearly falling over. At a glance, Rin saw a web of tiny creeping vines sprouting from the floor and wrapping around Obito’s ankle. “Why would you—” Tenzo still hadn’t looked up from his book, but his lips twisted in a satisfied little grin that only became wider at the sound of Naruto’s feet thundering back into the kitchen. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>....and that is Tenzo being a troll. If this continued one more moment, Obito was going to be tackled spectacularly.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Lantern</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Obito?" Rin had hardly taken a step out the door before she caught sight of a familiar shadowed figure. He melted away from the side of the hospital, sinuous in the dark. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>“I can’t let my girl walk home alone,” he said, no small hint of bravado in his tone.</p><p>Rin frowned at him, swallowing down a laugh. “I can definitely take care of myself,” she reminded.</p><p>A flustered blush washed across his cheeks, vibrant enough that she could see it even in the dim lighting of the lanterns around the employee entrance to the hospital. “I know,” he said, hand brushing through his short dark hair. For just a moment, she could see a shadow of the awkward, bumbling boy he had been when they were young, and it warmed her heart. She closed the distance between them, taking his hand firmly in her own and brushing their shoulders together with a giddy little smile.</p><p>“Thank you,” she said. “I love your company too.”</p><p>Obito’s blush did not abate, but he bulled on. “Exactly. That’s why I’m here.” His fingers tightened around hers. “You’re so busy watching out for us, <em> someone </em> has to watch out for you.” Contentedly, she started to pull him along the pathway leading to the road. Obtio resisted and cleared his throat. “No, do you want to take...a shortcut?”</p><p>Rin frowned at him, trying to decipher his meaning. She already took the shortest route home, save for going over rooftops. It wasn’t a respectable hour of the night to be doing that. She focused back on Obito, at the way he inclined his head, and it clicked. “Oh. You mean like…” She hesitated.</p><p>Obito and Kakashi had been practicing with Kamui for some time now, but she still never really considered its uses outside of combat. She still had yet to even cognizantly enter the pocket dimension, outside one instance during a mission when she’d been injured. In a panic, Obito had whisked them all away and then dropped them at the hospital in Konoha. It had happened quicker than she could process, occupied as she had been at the time with a severely bleeding wound.</p><p>“Only if you want to.” His voice was gruff, masking his awkwardness.</p><p>“Of course I do.” Rin would be lying if she said she hadn’t been curious about it before. Obito never really spoke of what was inside Kamui, and Kakashi was vague at best. Rin wasn’t a sensor by any means, but she felt the flicker of Obito’s chakra as he activated his Sharingan. His right eye gathered the light cast by the lanterns and glittered blood red. In full daylight she would be able to see the tomoe swirl together as it transformed further into the Mangekyo.</p><p>Obito’s hand clutched hers tighter and she felt a tugging at her heart, a feeling that her very essence was being dragged away. She clung to the fragments of conversation she’d heard from the boys, onto Kakashi’s frank commentary on the sensation of being pulled into Kamui. <em> Just hold your breath, </em>she could remember him saying, <em>and relax. </em> And so she did.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I think I might come back to this scene later on. I think they have more to talk about here, but this also seemed like a natural spot to break it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Stars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Rin snuggled close to the warmth beside her. Kakashi’s arm tightened around her and she tipped her head back on his shoulder with a sigh. Her eyes wandered the depths of the heavens stretched over them, trailing from one pinprick of light to the next.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never seen the stars so clearly,” she murmured, turning her face into the side of his neck to take the chill off the tip of her nose. They were perched atop the Hokage mountain and the occasional gust of wind blew sharp fingers of cold through her coat. For however many times she’d glanced up and contemplated the faces carved into the mountainside, she’d never considered climbing on any of them. Settling in to rest atop the First Hokage's head felt mildly sacrilegious to her, even if Kakashi assured her that no one would mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kakashi chuckled low in his throat. “The best view of the sunrise is on sensei’s nose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I—” Rin broke out in a gale of giggles. “How do you know that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small shrug bumped into her cheek. “I meet Obito and Tenzo there sometimes. When they’re getting off a night shift.” It was in fact why they were currently on the mountain. Obito and Tenzo had been on a night of guard duty, but would be relieved soon. Rin felt him turn his head, tucking his masked face into her hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to move down to sensei’s nose, then?” She managed to stifle another giggle at the idea and Kakashi snorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, we still have time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rin hummed her agreement and turned her eyes back to the broad spray of stars across the night sky. She let out a contented sigh, her breath billowing out in a swirl of silvery mist before her eyes. Honestly, with Kakashi beside her, the cold wasn’t so bad, and it would get better when everyone else arrived. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>